GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2009
SESSION LAW 2009-556
SENATE BILL 488
AN ACT to make the increase in sentence lengths between prior record levels more proportionate using a set percentage increment.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 15A-1340.17(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c) Punishments for Each Class of Offense and Prior Record Level; Punishment Chart Described. - The authorized punishment for each class of offense and prior record level is as specified in the chart below. Prior record levels are indicated by the Roman numerals placed horizontally on the top of the chart. Classes of offense are indicated by the letters placed vertically on the left side of the chart. Each cell on the chart contains the following components:
(1) A sentence disposition or dispositions: "C" indicates that a community punishment is authorized; "I" indicates that an intermediate punishment is authorized; "A" indicates that an active punishment is authorized; and "Life Imprisonment Without Parole" indicates that the defendant shall be imprisoned for the remainder of the prisoner's natural life.
(2) A presumptive range of minimum durations, if the sentence of imprisonment is neither aggravated or mitigated; any minimum term of imprisonment in that range is permitted unless the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that an aggravated or mitigated sentence is appropriate. The presumptive range is the middle of the three ranges in the cell.
(3) A mitigated range of minimum durations if the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that a mitigated sentence of imprisonment is justified; in such a case, any minimum term of imprisonment in the mitigated range is permitted. The mitigated range is the lower of the three ranges in the cell.
(4) An aggravated range of minimum durations if the court finds pursuant to G.S. 15A-1340.16 that an aggravated sentence of imprisonment is justified; in such a case, any minimum term of imprisonment in the aggravated range is permitted. The aggravated range is the higher of the three ranges in the cell.
PRIOR RECORD LEVEL
I II III IV V VI
0 Pts 1-4 Pts 5-8 Pts 9-14 Pts 15-18 Pts 19+ Pts
A Life Imprisonment Without Parole or Death as Established by Statute
A A A A A A DISPOSITION
240-300
288-360 336-420
384-480 Life
Imprisonment
Aggravated
Without
Parole
B1 192-240 230-288
269-336 307-384
346-433 384-480
PRESUMPTIVE
144-192
173-230 202-269
230-307 260-346
288-384
Mitigated
240-300 276-345 317-397 365-456 Life Imprisonment Aggravated
Without Parole
B1 192-240 221-276 254-317 292-365 336-420 386-483 PRESUMPTIVE
144-192 166-221 190-254 219-292 252-336 290-386 Mitigated
A A A A A A DISPOSITION
157-196
189-237 220-276
251-313 282-353
313-392
Aggravated
B2 125-157 151-189
176-220 201-251
225-282 251-313
PRESUMPTIVE
94-125
114-151 132-176
151-201 169-225
188-251
Mitigated
157-196 180-225 207-258 238-297 273-342 314-393 Aggravated
B2 125-157 144-180 165-207 190-238 219-273 251-314 PRESUMPTIVE
94-125 108-144 124-165 143-190 164-219 189-251 Mitigated
A A A A A A DISPOSITION
73-92
100-125 116-145
133-167 151-188
168-210
Aggravated
C 58-73
80-100 93-116
107-133 121-151
135-168 PRESUMPTIVE
44-58
60-80 70-93
80-107 90-121
101-135
Mitigated
73-92 83-104 96-120 110-138 127-159 146-182 Aggravated
C 58-73 67-83 77-96 88-110 101-127 117-146 PRESUMPTIVE
44-58 50-67 58-77 66-88 76-101 87-117 Mitigated
A A A A A A DISPOSITION
64-80
77-95 103-129
117-146 133-167
146-183
Aggravated
D 51-64
61-77 82-103
94-117 107-133
117-146 PRESUMPTIVE
38-51
46-61 61-82
71-94 80-107
88-117
Mitigated
64-80 73-92 84-105 97-121 111-139 128-160 Aggravated
D 51-64 59-73 67-84 78-97 89-111 103-128 PRESUMPTIVE
38-51 44-59 51-67 58-78 67-89 77-103 Mitigated
I/A I/A A A A A DISPOSITION
25-31
29-36 34-42
46-58 53-66
59-74
Aggravated
E 20-25
23-29 27-34
37-46 42-53
47-59 PRESUMPTIVE
15-20
17-23 20-27
28-37 32-42
35-47
Mitigated
25-31 29-36 33-41 38-48 44-55 50-63 Aggravated
E 20-25 23-29 26-33 30-38 35-44 40-50 PRESUMPTIVE
15-20 17-23 20-26 23-30 26-35 30-40 Mitigated
I/A I/A I/A A A A DISPOSITION
16-20
19-24 21-26
25-31 34-42
39-49
Aggravated
F 13-16
15-19 17-21
20-25 27-34
31-39 PRESUMPTIVE
10-13
11-15 13-17
15-20 20-27
23-31
Mitigated
16-20 19-23 21-27 25-31 28-36 33-41 Aggravated
F 13-16 15-19 17-21 20-25 23-28 26-33 PRESUMPTIVE
10-13 11-15 13-17 15-20 17-23 20-26 Mitigated
I/A I/A I/A I/A A A DISPOSITION
13-16
15-19 16-20
20-25 21-26
29-36
Aggravated
G 10-13
12-15 13-16
16-20 17-21
23-29 PRESUMPTIVE
8-10
9-12 10-13
12-16 13-17
17-23
Mitigated
13-16 14-18 17-21 19-24 22-27 25-31 Aggravated
G 10-13 12-14 13-17 15-19 17-22 20-25 PRESUMPTIVE
8-10 9-12 10-13 11-15 13-17 15-20 Mitigated
C/I/A I/A I/A I/A I/A A DISPOSITION
6-8 8-10 10-12 11-14 15-19 20-25 Aggravated
H 5-6 6-8 8-10 9-11 12-15 16-20 PRESUMPTIVE
4-5 4-6 6-8 7-9 9-12 12-16 Mitigated
C C/I I I/A I/A I/A DISPOSITION
6-8 6-8 6-8 8-10 9-11 10-12 Aggravated
I 4-6 4-6 5-6 6-8 7-9 8-10 PRESUMPTIVE
3-4 3-4 4-5 4-6 5-7 6-8 Mitigated"
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2009, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 11th day of August, 2009.
s/ Walter H. Dalton
President of the Senate
s/ Joe Hackney
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Beverly E. Perdue
Governor
Approved 10:50 a.m. this 28th day of August, 2009